A business growth course held exclusively in North Canterbury is proving very popular with local business owners.

The Accelerator Business Growth Series, organised by Enterprise North Canterbury (ENC) and facilitated by BDO, has been run numerous times in the region in the past 10 years, and will run again in September.

ENC Business Development Manager Miles Dalton says that the course is vital for businesses looking to grow. “When a business hits a growth phase they often find that it is hard to keep up with the demands caused by growth,” explains Miles.

“It is important for growing businesses to have the support and expertise of experts who know how a business can grow while keeping quality high, stress low and HR in order.”

The course involves a series of interactive group workshops and includes two hours of individual coaching from BDO’s business experts.

Past attendee Simon Rutherford, Managing Director of KORE Limited says the Accelerator Business Growth Series is the best course he has ever attended.

“It was absolutely brilliant; the best course I’ve ever done. The real point of difference was the facilitators from BDO. A lot of thought has gone into the course and there is the underlying feeling that, although they are business people practicing at a very high level, they were genuinely involved in the course and the people that attended.”

Simon says that the one-on-one session he had with a BDO strategist as part of the course was critical and the changes he implemented in his business as a result have been huge.

“My session with Bridget Giesen of BDO was so insightful. She picked up on one critical thing, I implemented that and it’s made an incredibly significant impact.”

Simon – along with many other past attendees - was eligible for a 50% discount on the course fees through the New Zealand Trade & Enterprise (NZTE) capability development scheme. “At full price, the course is good value,” says Simon. “My accountant told me to do it because the subsidy made it even greater value.”

ENC Chief Executive Heather Warwick says the fact that this course is held exclusively by ENC in North Canterbury gives local business owners an incredible opportunity.

“We are really proud to be able to offer this course to the local business community. The feedback we have had from past attendees is overwhelmingly positive and we hope that many more local business operators will see the value on offer and seize the opportunity to attend the course.”

ENC is running the Accelerator Business Growth Series again in September this year. Attendees can apply for up to 50% off the course fees through the NZTE Capability Development Scheme.